1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an imaging system that employs one or more slots to scan an object with x-rays that are used for imaging the object.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A known x-ray imaging system is an X-ray cone-beam computed tomography system. Mechanical operation of a cone beam computed tomography system is similar to that of a conventional computed tomography system, with the exception that an entire volumetric image is acquired through at most a single rotation of the source and detector. This is made possible by the use of a two-dimensional (2-D) detector, as opposed to the one-dimensional (1-D) detectors used in conventional computed tomography.
An example of a known cone beam computed tomography imaging system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,842,502, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The patent describes an embodiment of a cone-beam computed tomography imaging system that includes a kilovoltage x-ray tube and a flat panel imager having an array of amorphous silicon detector. As a patient lies upon a treatment table, the x-ray tube and flat panel image rotate about the patient in unison so as to take a plurality of images as described previously.
In cone-beam computed tomography systems, such as the one described above, scatter may be a major cause of reduced image quality. Current techniques for scatter correction or rejection include calculating the scatter and then subtracting the scatter from the signal. However, the length of time the scatter calculation requires can be as long as hours or days using the Monte Carlo method. Furthermore, the noise from the scatter remains after the scatter profile has been subtracted from the signal, such that the signal-to-noise ratio decreases.
In another technique, the scatter is measured and then subtracted from the signal. This technique, however, subjects the patient to additional radiation exposure and prolonged scanning time and requires an additional scan to measure the scatter profile. Further, the noise from the scatter remains, which sacrifices the signal-to-noise ratio.
In yet another technique, a grid is positioned in front of the detector and behind the patient to block some scatter. However, the grid also partially blocks the primary x-ray beams, resulting in additional radiation exposure to the patient. Other techniques use an air gap by increasing the distance from the detector to the patient, which reduces the scatter that is collected by the detector. Because of mechanical limitations, however, the distance from the detector to the patient can be increased only a finite amount.
The images of other imaging systems are known to suffer from the effects of scatter. One such imaging system is digital tomosynthesis system. Digital tomosynthesis operates in the same way as cone-beam computed tomography but reconstructs images differently. Compared to cone-beam tomography, smaller range of projection angles is necessary for digital tomosynthesis.
Another known x-ray imaging system suffering from scatter is a megavoltage electronic portal imaging system. The operation of megavoltage electronic portal imaging system is similar to digital radiography except the x-ray photons have much higher energy. The x-ray source is the radiation treatment beam which is generated by linear accelerator. The detector may be a flat panel detector that comprises of a metal plate, a scintillation screen and charge coupled device (CCD) photodiode array. The metal plate partially converts photon into electrons. The electrons, as well as some photons that pass through the metal plate, yield visible light in scintillation screen. The visible lights are detected by the CCD photodiode array and form an image in a computer display.
Megavoltage portal images are used for patient positioning prior to radiation treatments. However, the quality of megavoltage image is not optimal due to low detection efficiency and scatter. Due to the high x-ray photon energy, most of high energy photons penetrate the metal plate and the scintillation screen without being detected. Low detection efficiency causes an inferior signal-to-noise ratio and, thus, an excessive radiation dose is needed to provide an adequate image of the object. Moreover, as photons pass through the imaged object, they are scattered and may be detected. Scatter photons further decrease image contrast and increase noises in the same way as cone beam computed tomography and digital tomosynthesis.
In cone-beam computed tomography systems, a flat panel detector is usually used for detection of x-ray photons. A flat panel detector may include a scintillation screen and a charge-coupled device photodiode array. The scintillation screen converts x-ray photons into visible light photons. The visible light photons are then detected by photodiode array. The performance of such flat panel detectors, in the aspect of signal-to-noise ratio, detection efficiency, is inferior to discrete x-ray detectors that are used in diagnostic helical computed tomography scanner. High noise level and low detection efficiency cause poor low contrast differentiation and noisier images. A further reduction in image quality may be caused by suboptimal performance of a flat panel imager. Approximate reconstruction artifacts exist when cone angle is large (>5 degrees).
In various conventional cone-beam computed tomography, megavoltage and digital tomosynthesis imaging systems the object being imaged may be subjected to non-uniform penetration of imaging radiation in that thinner parts of the object do not need as intensive imaging radiation as thicker parts. As shown in FIG. 1, such systems 100 (not including megavoltage imaging systems) may include a bow-tie filter 102 to modulate the beam intensity profile 104 across the patient/object 106. The bow-tie filter 102 is a block of x-ray attenuation material thicker outside and thinner in the center. The filter 102 interacts with the cone-beam of x-rays 108 generated by x-ray source 110 so that the beam intensity profile is modulated so that a less intensive x-ray beam is delivered to the thinner part of the imaged object. One disadvantage of such a filter 102 is that the thickness of the imaged object is different for different positions. For example, the thickness of the head of a patient is different from the thickness of the pelvis of the same patient. Also the thickness of the imaged object varies with imaging angles. For example, the pelvis is thinner if imaged in superior-inferior directions than if imaged from lateral directions. Since the intensity profile generated by a bow-tie filter, the current beam intensity modulation using a bow-tie filter does not accommodate different shapes of the imaged object and beam angles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to reduce scatter generated in a cone-beam computed tomography, digital tomosynthesis and megavoltage portal imaging systems.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need to use a bow-tie filter in cone-beam computed tomography and digital tomosynthesis systems and to dynamically modulate beam intensity based on the shape of the imaged object and the beam angles.
Another object of the present invention to increase detection efficiency of megavoltage portal imaging system.